Bermuda Triangle: 28 Canadian players called, only 18 chosen By Steven Sandor Posted on January 10, 2017 2 0 1,360 Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Michael Findlay Canadian national-team coach Michael Findlay will have 28 players at the team’s January Florida camp, but only 18 will be on the flight to Bermuda. Ten will fall victim to the national program’s own, ahem, Bermuda Triangle. Canada opens its January camp on the 12th in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The Canadian national side plays Bermuda on the 22nd. All of the players in the camp are based in North America. “I think the most important thing is that when we leave camp on the 23rd of January, we will have a better idea of where we stand domestically with our player long-list,” said Findlay. He said it will help him see not only how the players stack up against each other, but give them running starts ahead of their USL, NASL and MLS training camps. That head start could lead to more playing time when the seasons start. There are six players on the roster who are listed as unattached, but Findlay said they are all national-team veterans and he expects them to find clubs in the January window. In fact, he feels some will be signed before they actually get to Florida. But he warned that Unattached FC will no longer be making major contributions to the national side going forward. “I am not a supporter of unattached players to be included in the national-team program,” he said. When the players get to Florida, they will undergo a series of tests. Findlay said that the program has some “very specific objectives” when it comes to tracking the proficiencies of the Canadian player pool, and data collected from the camp will be vital in helping the program along. As well, the idea is to marry some of this data with what they know about Canada’s youth players, to “vertically integrate” the systems. Orlando City’s Cyle Larin will not take part due to injury, while defender David Edgar is out long term after his right knee was damaged in a hit-and-run accident in Arizona. Keeper Maxime Crepeau would also have been invited to the camp, but the Montreal Impact prospect is training in Europe. One of the up-and-comers on the roster is FC Edmonton’s Ben Fisk, who impressed in the NASL fall season, moving into a starting role on the left side. Fisk scored twice in the fall season, but could have had many more — his ability to put shots off posts and crossbars became a sorta running joke with Eddies supporters. Findlay knows Fisk well, having worth with the player as a youth in Vancouver. “Ben has the potential, now it’s time for him to deliver on that potential,” said Findlay. “He has the kind of attacking flair we need in our program. He has some attacking attributes that, sometimes, we lack.” And, of course, with FIFA voting this morning to move the World Cup to 48 teams from 32, I asked Findlay what he thought of an expanded, more inclusive tournament. “I’m a football person, so I am positive to see any change where we can play more football.” CANADA ROSTER GK- Marco Carducci | GK- Callum Irving | CAN / Ottawa Fury FC GK- Sean Melvin | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps 2 CB- Nana Attakora | USA / San Francisco Deltas CB- Dejan Jakovic | CB- Wandrille Lefèvre | CAN / Impact Montréal FC FB- Jamar Dixon | CAN / Ottawa Fury FC FB- Nik Ledgerwood | CAN / FC Edmonton FB- Ashtone Morgan | CAN / Toronto FC FB- Karl W. Ouimette | M- Tesho Akindele | USA / FC Dallas M- Kyle Bekker | M- Marco Bustos | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC M- Jay Chapman | CAN / Toronto FC M- Marcel de Jong | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC M- Ben Fisk | CAN / FC Edmonton M- Carl Haworth | CAN / Ottawa Fury FC M- Will Johnson | USA / Orlando City SC M- Ben McKendry | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC M- Jonathan Osorio | CAN / Toronto FC M- Adam Straith | M- Russell Teibert | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC M- Maxim Tissot | F- Molham Babouli | CAN / Toronto FC F- Raheem Edwards | CAN / Toronto FC II F- Jordan Hamilton | CAN / Toronto FC F- Anthony Jackson-Hamel | CAN / Impact Montréal FC F- Tosaint Ricketts | CAN / Toronto FC
